(This moment was brought to you by…⁣⁣
Every single person who has a disability around the world that has felt unseen and unheard. For the countless of times that we all have shouted for respect and equal representation. Or for the times other people speak for us, not with us. For when we felt like we just didn’t belong in this world because no one thought that we were capable of doing anything. The times where people speak to everyone about our problems or our needs but us) she write on her Instagram account. ⁣

Jillian Mercado (born April 30, 1987) is an actress and American fashion model represented by IMG Models. As a wheelchair user (due to muscular dystrophy), she is one of the few professional models who has a physical disability in the fashion industry. A prominent figure in the new wave of models challenging beauty ideals in the fashion industry, Mercado is keen to fight the lack of representation of people with disabilities in the fashion industry and their enduring stigma.